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Score one for Thor. Host Chris Hemsworth's good looks and superhero persona inspired the "Saturday Night Live" writers a bit this weekend. Let me underscore "a bit," but any improvement was welcome after last weekend's botch with host Dakota Johnson. Hemsworth's funniest moment came early as he bragged about his height, muscles and sexual prowess in a goofy spoof of an American Express commercial. "It didn't happen overnight for me. I bounced around Hollywood for days," Hemsworth said. The fake commercial aired shortly before an actual American Express spot with Mindy Kaling. In the strongest sketch, a pompous director (Kenan...

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Score one for Thor.
Host Chris Hemsworth's good looks and superhero persona inspired the "Saturday Night Live" writers a bit this weekend. Let me underscore "a bit," but any improvement was welcome after last weekend's botch with host...

The weekend's highlights include major guest stars, a fundraiser and sports events that should reveal a lot about the viewing audience.
Do you know Kaká? You will after he and Orlando City play their inaugural game Sunday at the Citrus...

The “Saturday Night Live” 40th anniversary special violated a central show-business tenet -- always leave them wanting more -- and got away with it.The three-and-a-half hour telecast tried to do too much, but nostalgia was a powerful incentive to keep...

The latest edition of "Saturday Night Live" was a night of missed opportunities, considering everything that has been going on in the world.
The NBC took its sharpest jabs at Justin Bieber. Kate McKinnon mugged, with daffy precision, as...

"Saturday Night Live" has always been a show of moments. The inspired ones compensate for the duds, and this weekend's show was no different.
A brilliant spoof of "The Fault in Our Stars" gave Ebola to the young heroine (Sarah...

The National Football League may be having big troubles these days, but the league really helped "Saturday Night Live" start its 40th season this weekend.
You know the routine: Hand "SNL" a public-relations disaster and watch the show...

It was a good night for Wiig, too: She presided over a hilarious perfume commercial celebrating women who are crazy. And she was a Buffalo TV reporter being attacked by creatures in the rain forest -- and slow to realize it because of botox treatments. Baldw

Seth Meyers delivered some good lines on "Weekend Update." His best: "Kim Kardashian on Monday filed for divorce from Kris Humphries, her husband of three episodes." A close second: "The House on Tuesday passed a resolution that reaffirms In God We Trust as t

But the opening sketch, a spoof of Gov. Rick Perry's brain freeze at a Republican presidential debate, wasn't as funny as the real thing. You knew that one was coming, but "SNL" couldn't rise above expectations. Still, Bill Hader worked hard as Perry. There we

The show started 20 minutes late because of football, but it was worth waiting up for this above-average episode. Kelly Clarkson delivered two songs powerfully. Kristen Wiig was hilarious as Michele Bachmann, who decided to start blinking again after leaving t

"SNL" started with a devastating sketch ridiculing the culture insensitivity in media reports on New York Knicks star Jeremy Lin. But the best lines were served on "Weekend Update." Poehler's funniest joke: "It was reported that while on a trip to South Africa

The other highlights included Wiig's impersonation of Drew Barrymore and Kenan Thompson's wacky take on Bishop Desmond Tutu. "SNL" opened by spoofing the public-speaking gaffes of Mitt Romney (Jason Sudeikis). (There were no Barack Obama jokes.)

The show paid farewell to Kristen Wiig, one of its greatest stars, in a touching final musical number. In the opening sketch, one of the night's best, she reprised the small-handed singer on a Lawrence Welk sendup. She flirted with an Italian singer (Jon Hamm

“Saturday Night Live” installed a new Barack Obama and a new attitude this weekend. Jay Pharoah succeeded Fred Armisen in playing the president, and the NBC series took sharper digs at the president. In the first-rate opening sketch, a drawling Oba

Daniel Craig and Big Bird brought their charms to “Saturday Night Live” this weekend. But the episode will be remembered for skewering Barack Obama's performance in the first presidential debate. “You have to hand it to Mitt Romney because Pr

“Saturday Night Live” drew on host Adam Levine's considerable charm and sex appeal this weekend. How often is the host instructed to take off his shirt? The opening monologue spoofed Levine's stint on “The Voice” as Andy Samberg, Camero

Justin Timberlake will pump the PR for his upcoming album, “The 20/20 Experience” (due March 19) by doing double-duty as host and musical guest on this week's Saturday Night Live. Timberlake is making sure that everyone knows about his appearance w